Sprinkler head shutoff clamp



May 23, 1961 J. R. PAPA SPRINKLER HEAD SHUTOFF CLAMP Filed NOV. 15, 1957 16x JZ w l E, 1,3":

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In I A 20 M INVENTOR.

F T fos eyniz/jzfijva i! P I 6 p EJI U United States Patent cc Patented May 23, 1961 SPRINKLER HEAD SHUT OFF CLAMP Joseph R. Papa, Miles Lab. 1110., 1127 Myrtle St.

. Elkhart, Ind.

Filed Nov. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 696,709

3 Claims. (Cl. 169-1) My invention relates to devices for manually closing thermally responsive sprinkler valves as are employed familiarly in automatic fire protective sprinkler systems.

In general, my improved device constitutes a sockettype wrench clamp which fits over a familiar flush-type overhead fire protective sprinkler valve which has been opened by exposure to elevated temperature, to engage lug members thereon by means of its improved angularly disposed bayonet-type slots. The slots are arranged to produce an axial clamping action between the socket and the body of the sprinkler assembly in association with the action of suitable compression means to thereby seal the discharge opening of the valve head. Other features are included for the engagement and removal of trim ring means which normally surround the sprinkler head valve, whereby the valve head may be exposed for shutoff operation.

The main object of this invention is to provide a new and improved means for shutting off flush-type sprinkler head valves employed in automatic thermally responsive sprinkler systems, particularly after such valves have opened automatically.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved clamp for operating automatic sprinkler valves which includes socket means having bayonet slot openings for engaging the valve and which cooperate with means producing resilient force tending to resiliently hold the clamping device and valve together in their engaged condition. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved clamp as aforesaid which includes socket means for engaging a sprinkler valve to effect itsmanual operation, and additional means for removing a trim ring member employed with the valve in its normal installation.

The above and further objects, features, and advantages of this invention .will appear to those familiar in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof which appears in the accompanying drawings,

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side-elevational view of the improved shutoff clamp or wrench of this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational showing illustrating a typical flush-type sprinkler valve installation in which the improved clamp of this invention is to be employed;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the means for removing a trim ring member associated with the sprinkler head;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the mounting of my improved clamp on the sprinkler valve preparatory to lockingly engaging the two members;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 4, illustrating the improved clamp of this invention locked in operatin position with the sprinkler head; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the sprinkler valve shown in Figure 2, the plane of the section being parallel to the plane of the drawing.

Turning now to the features of my invention, such essentially comprises a wrench, indicated generally by numeral 10. It will be noted, in particular, that wrench 10 has a main shaft portion 11 comprising a substantially cylindrical metalmember, which at one end is intersected in T-relationship by a handle portion 12. One end of handle 12, as indicated at 13, is beveled to a chisel edge 14 for purposes which will be more apparent from description to follow.

At the other end of shaft 1'1,opposite handle 12, is a substantially cylindrical socket member 15 having an internal cylindrical chamber 16 over the bottom of which is disposed a compression means 17, such as a layer of sponge rubber or the like. Compression means 17 provides a resilient abutment which is subjected to compression in the connection of the socket 15 with a flush-type sprinkler head, as will be described presently. Socket 15 is further distinguished by a pair of oppositely directed bayonet slots, indicated generally at 18, formed in opposite side walls of the chamber 16. Each slot 18 includes a first sloping guide surface or edge 19'which is intersected at its inner end by one end of a transversely related sloping surface 20. At the other end of each surface 20, a recessed detent portion 21 is provided. The throat. of each slot 18 is defined at the outer or open end of socket 15 by the respective sloping surface 19 and reentrant guide face 22 at the end of the lip portion of the socket wall formed by widening of the bayonet slot below its throat, as shown, the guide face 22 being immediately adjacent to and forming a continuation of the corresponding detent portion 21.

As shown in Figures 26, a conventional flush-type sprinkler assembly includes a body 24 having a pair of projections or engaging lugs 25 (only one of which is shown) adjacenta lower head end portion or collar 26. An annular trim ring 27 surrounds collarv26 to finish off the boundaries of an opening 28 formed through a mounting wall, usually a ceiling, familiarly employed in installations of this type. A fuse link 29 of conventional type is provided across the head end portion or collar 26 to hold the same closed. A detailed showing of the construction of the fuse link 29 is found in Figure 6, where it will be seen that the sprinkler valve is conventionally provided with an axial passage 33 terminating in a central. discharge opening at the lower end of the valve body surrounded by the head portion or collar 26. In the closed valve, as shown in Figure 6, a plug 34 is provided at the discharge opening, the plug being held in closing position against the end of the valve by means of links 35, 35 pivotally mounted at their upper ends byany suitable means, at diametrically opposite sides of the discharge opening of the valve. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the links 35, 35 are provided with deformed upper ends, such as ballportions 35', 35' which are captured in an annular space 36 between the head portion 26 and the plug 34, and the lower, converging ends of links 35, 35 are pivotally connected to opposite ends of the fuse link 29, the central portion of which consists of a fusible alloy 29'. The converging links 35, 35 retain the plug 34 in closing position in the discharge opening of the valve. When the fusible link 29, 29 is subjected to temperatures exceeding the fusing temperature of the alloy portion 29', the latter melts, thereby causing the compound link 29 to part, whereupon the links 35, 35 are ejected along with the plug 34 from the discharge end of the valve.

The improved shutoff means of my invention normally comes into play after the fuse link 29 has been disrupted by excessive temperatures and the sprinkler head has opened. To this end, the T-shaped handle, which is secured to the socket portion is equipped with the chisel edge 14, as previously described. Such chisel edge portion is inserted beneath one edge of the trim ring 27 with the inclined face 13 thereof engaging face 30 of wall 31. This position of operation is illustrated in Figure 3. It will be regarded that so disposed, the inclined face 13 of the handle member provides a fulcrum for prying the trim ring 27 from its mounted position by levering the handle about such fulcrum.

Once the trim ring is removed, my clamp member is reversed to place the socket portion 15 thereof over the head portion or collar 26 of the sprinkler assembly. This position of operation is shown best in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings from which it will be regarded that the open throats of the bayonet slots 18 are disposed opposite the respective lugs 25 associated with the body portion of the sprinkler head assembly. Thrusting the socket toward the body 24 brings the compressible member 17 into contact with the head portion or collar 26 and results in the resilient loading of the compressible member 17 as the lug members 25 follow the bayonet slot 18 of the socket portion. Simultaneous application of thrust and clockwise rotary motion (as viewed from the bottom of Figures 2, 4, and 5) to the shaft portion 11 causes the lugs 25 to travel'downwardly along the sloping guide faces 19 of the respective bayonet slots and relatively counterclockwise to engage the detent portions 21. In this function, the guide surfaces 22 also assist entry and travel of lugs 25 along the bayonet slots upon appropriate rotary movement of the socket 15. It will be appreciated that the lower portions of the guide surfaces 22 filnction as cams which, upon clockwise movement of the shaft portion 11, as aforesaid, raise the resilient abutment member 17 into compressive contact with the bottom of the head portion or collar 26, the lugs 25 at the same time moving relatively counterclockwise into the detent portions 21, so that each lug 25 and its related engaged detent portion are resiliently held tightly together under the expanding force of the compressed resilient abutment member 17.

After the fire or heat source has been removed and the sprinkler system turned off and drained, the shutoff clamp of my invention may be removed and a new fuse link replaced using a normal spanner wrench which is pro vided for such purpose. The trim ring 27, previously removed, is then mounted to its normal position around the valve head portion or collar 26, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, and the system is thus returned to a normal operating condition.

From the foregoing description, those familiar with the art will recognize that I. have provided a new and improved manually operable socket Wrench or shutoif clamp capable of engaging and locking with the head assembly of a flush-type sprinkler system to effect shutofi of sprinkler valves, as desired. While I have herein shown and described the features and aspects of my invention in conjunction with a preferred form thereof, as found in the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that numerous changes, modifications, and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. As a consequence, it is not my intention to be limited to the particulars hereinabove 4 described and shown in the accompanying drawings, except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shutoffv clamp device for use with a valve of the type having a substantially cylindrical valve body provided with an axial passage therethrough terminating in a central discharge opening at one end of the valve, and a plurality of external lugs fixed to said valve body, said clamp device comprising a substantially cylindrical socket member having bayonet slots in the walls thereof arranged respectively to receive said lugs, said bayonet slots each having a restricted opening and being widened below said opening to define a lip portion of the wall of said socket member terminating at said opening, said lip portions each having a detent formed in the lower side thereof, and a resilient abutment member in the bottom of said socket member, said clamp device being proportioned in relation to said valve body and adapted to telescope over said valve body with said lugs retained by the detents beneath said lip portions and said resilient abutment member being held in compressive contact With the end of the valve surrounding said discharge opening.

2. The combination, with a valve of the type having a substantially cylindrical valve body provided with an axial passage therethrough terminating in a central discharge opening at one end of said valve body, and a plurality of external lugs fixed to valve body, of a shutoff clamp device comprising a substantially cylindrical socket member having bayonet slots in the walls thereof accommodating said lugs, said bayonet slots each having a restricted opening and being widened below said opening to define a lip portion of the wall of said socket member terminating at said opening, said lip portion each having a detent formed in the underside thereof adjacent said opening, and a resilient abutment member in the bottom of said socket member, said socket member telescoping said valve body with said lugs retained respectively under said lip portions by said detents, said abutment member being in compressive contact with the discharge end of said valve.

3. A shutolf clamp device in accordance with claim 1, including an elongated shaft attached externally and axially to the bottom of said socket member, and a cross-bar at the free end of said shaft, one end of said cross-bar being beveled substantially to wedge form.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 923,545 Madison June 1, 1909 1,021,203 Matchette Mar. 26, 1912 1,341,592 Ruehle May 25, 1920 2,383,573 Tomsek Aug. 28, 1945 2,690,284 Cunningham Sept. 28, 1954 2,700,423 Burkert Jan. 25, 1955 

